Overhead door construction



Dec. 17, .1946. A. v. ROWE OVERHEAD DOOR CONSTRUCTION 3y Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. ll, 1945 Dec. 17, 1 946. A. v. ROWE 2,412,910

" OVERHEAD lDOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. ll, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l N V EN TOR.

Dec. 17, 1946. A, v, ROW.; 2,412,910

OVERHEAD DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 1l, 1945 50 IE if@ Zea' 7E 65 66 '5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I,llllll INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. l?, 1946 OVERHEAD DOOR CONSTRUCTION Alvin V. Rowe, Galesburg, Ill., assignor to Rowe Manufacturing Company, Galesburg, Ill., a cor- Y poration of Illinois Application October 11, 1945, Serial No. 621,781

6-Claims. 1

This invention relates generally to an overhead door construction and more particularly to overhead door constructions wherein a switch mechanism is employed in association with the horizontal portions of the guide track structure.

One of the problems which confronts the manufacturer of overhead door structures is that of producing a door which may be shifted between closed vertical position and open overhead posiltion with a minimum amount` of available headroom. The present invention concerns itself with the solution of the aforesaid problem and to this end contemplates in combination with conventional guide track structures a switch mechanism of extremely simple and practical design adapted tov selectively control communication of the hon'- zontal track portion with the usual curved portion and a further portion extending forwardly from the horizontal portion.

More specifically the invention contemplates in combination with hingedly connected door sec tions shiftable between vertical and horizontal positions of a switch mechanism having a novel control arrangement to facilitate the shifting of a, movable switch member. `In this connection it is contemplated to employ a trip, or latching de.. vice, which is operable as an incident to the shifting ofthe door sections whereby to cause positive and instantaneous shifting of a movable switch member.

It. is a further object of the present invention 4to provide a device as set forth above, wherein the movable parts of the switch mechanism and the latching means forming a part thereof are pivotally mounted in such a manner as to insure freedom of` movement at all times, and to accomplish this, substantially frictionless pivotal bearings are contemplated.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide in combination with the shiftable hingedly connected door sections and trackstructurcs, as set forth above,a switch device or mechanism which, as the door sections move from theirhorizontal to their vertical position, may be automatically unlatched by a trigger device so as 'to instantaneously and positively establish communication between the horizontal track portion and a forwardly extending track portionand thereby permit the uppermost follower members, or rollers, on the door to move forward. As the door sections shift upwardly from their vertical closed position the uppermost guide rollers move rearwardly along the portion of the track extending forwardly from the horizontal portion and this arrangement reduces to a Vminimum the amount of headroom necessary for efficient operation; in fact the invention makes it possible to install an overhead door construction in instances where the available headroom is not more tha two inches.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will be` more apparent from the following detailed descriptionwhen considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig, 1 is a fragmentary elevational View of the inner side of the door when the hingedly connected sectionsthereof occupy their vertical door closing position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 to more clearly illustrate the relative positions of the door follower members, or rollers, and the shiftable elements of the switch mechanism;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. l disclosing the opposite side of the switch mechanism and track portions associated therewith;

Figs. 4-6 inclusive, are enlarged views of the switch mechanism and associated track portions as illustrated in Fig. 2, Fig. 4 disclosing the uppermost door section as it is passing from the curved track section to the horizontal section but prior to the opening of the shiftable switch member, Fig. 5 being a View similar to Fig. 4 showing the door section in a further advanced position with the latch opening mechanism carried by the upper door section about to move past the trigger plate, and Fig. 6 illustrating the latch actuating abutment as it moves downwardly into engagement with the trigger plate so as to release the latch member and thereby permit the automatic shifting of the switch member toits lower position;

Fig-7 is an horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line 'l--T of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken sub-` stantially along the Vline 8-8 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the trigger plate detached from the track structure; and

Fig. 10 is a perspective View of the shiftable switch member which serves in its downward position to guide the uppermost rollers to and from the horizontal track section.

Referring now to the drawings `more in detail wherein like numerals have been employed to designate similar parts` throughout the ,variousv figures, it will be seen that the invention contemplates an overhead door construction which 3 includes a plurality of hingedly connected door sections I2, I4, I5 and i8y of Fig. 1. The door section I2 will be hereinafter referred to as the uppermost door section and the door section IS as the lowermost door section. 'These sections are connected by suitable hinges 25, and in the vicinity of each of these hinges is a track follower member, or-roller, 22. The guide rollers 22 will hereinafter be referred to as' intermediate guide rollers, or follower members, to distinguish from an upper roller 24 associated with each upper corner of the uppermost door section I2 and lower guide rollers 26 associated with the lower corners of the lowermost door sectionIS.

cupy their vertical door closing position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the intermediate guide V.rollers 22 and the lower guide rollers 25 are positioned within a vertical portiont of guide track structures. Each vertical track portion 23 communicates with'a curved portion 30 whichin turn is adapted to communicate; or connect, with an horizontal track portion 32 through theagen'cy of a' switch mechanismV designated generally by the numeral 34. The upper` guide rollers 24 carriedjby the upper door section I2 rest within the outerextremity of a forwardly extending or auxiliary track portion 35 when the door sections occupy ltheir Vertical door-closing position. The forward or outer extremity of the track portion 3S `is curvedv downwardly so that when the uppermost section I2 reaches its nal closing position it will be sealed against a header 3S of the -buildingstructure in which the-door ,construction is installed. A n horizontalportion of lthe track 36 extends rearwardly from the aloove-r'nentionedl curved portion and is adapted to communicate, or connect, with the horizontal track portion 32 by means of the aforesaid switch mechanism 34.

The structural and functional characteristics of the switch `mechanism Slt may best be understood by describing the operation of the door sections as they shift between their vertical doorlosing position and the upper open or overhead position. '.Assuming that 'the dool` Vsections occupy'their normal door-closing position, vas shown in Figs. "l and 2, Aand a force is applied soas to urge the door sections upwardly, the upper rolle'rs 24 willV move upwardly and rearwardly in the curved section ofthe Vtrack portion 36 effecting the'mmediate disengagement or unsealing of the upper margin of lthe doorv section I2 from Ythe header. From the curved section of the track portion t6 the rollers Zit movehorizontally within the horizontal section and ultimately reach :a

shiftable member di) of the switch mechanism 34. A -detailedrdisclosure of this shiftable switcher trackmember, iii will befound in Fig. 10. When the switch member 40 occupies the position shown in Figs. 2 and 41it serves to direct the upper guide rollers'24 :between the auxiliary track portion andthe'ghorizontal mainftrack portion 32. vItwill "be vriotre'd'that theleft extremity of the shiftableswitchrnember 40'is pivotallym'ounted on a-knife edge t2. A flange44 extends over one side df3 theplate 45 upon which the knife edgefZis formed, and a U-shaped portion of a strip '@liis positioned on the opposite side ofthe plate 45. (See Figi 4.) Sufcient playl is provided between thel fiangeil'd andl the U-shaped portion Q8 so as to providea free pivotal connectionand permit pivotal movement of the member 4E! l'between'thelower solid-'line position andthe member, or arm, 45 is always assured. Any tendency for rust or other foreign matter to collect within the pivotal area of the knife edge 42 is freevto fall downwardly away from said knife edge. A pin 59 traverses the U-shaped portion of the strip 43 so as to prevent upward disengagement of the switch arm from the. pivotal knife edgetZ. It will be noted that theswitch arm 40 is urged toward its lower position by a coil spring 52 which extends between a hook 54 on the strip 4B and a tab 55 bent laterally of a mounting plate 58. This mounting plate 58 serves as the means for coupling the track portions 36, the upper zpart of the curved track portion 30 land the'forward part of the horizontal track portion 32 as a unit.

VAs the door sections continue to move ltoward their open overhead position the upper guide rollers M move rearwardly within the horizontal track portions 32 and eventually the intermediate V.rollers ll2rassc'1ciatedwith the hinge `in Ithe vicinity ofthe adjacent marginsof the door seetion `'1I 2V and the door section lIl! move into-engagement with van L-s'haped portion 60 rofthe strip 48. .Thiscauses the switch element to be shifted upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 6. As the switch element 40 reaches this position a trip or latch mechanism,V about to be described, is conditionedso as to prevent subsequent downward shiftingof the switch member until said latchmechanismis automatically shifted during the movement of the door sections from open toward closed position.

Thelatch mechanism, just referred to, includesA a trip 'orlatching plate 62 which is shown indetail in,Fig.r9. The plate-52 is provided with an arcuate slot l(it which accommodates a pin 66. This pinprovides a pivotal support for the plate 52 as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. As the switch member lill is shifted upwardly through the'agency of the rollers 22, as just described, an arm 58 formed `integral with the switch member` fillis urged upwardly against the underside of arnarm' `lil on the plate 62. This causes the plate S2 to `pivot in a clockwise direction, as viewed inA Fig. 4, and a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, about the pin '65 now positioned Vin the upper extremity of the arcuate slot 4. The upward movement of the arm 60 is suiiicient to clear the arm I0 and as this occurs the arm I0 falls downwardly to the position 'illustrated in Fig. 6, thereby preventing 'downwardshifting of vthe switch member 40. Pressure ofthe arm 58 against thearm "I0 of the platefca-uses the outer extremity Aof the farm 10 to -bear against anjabutment 'I2 (Fig. r7) 4formed integral with and extending laterally:v of the' track coupling plate 58. with the switch-arm 4u 1in this position thel following yin'termediate rollers '2-2,fasf-well"`as the lower rollers` 26, are directed from "the cur-vedv-f trackl portionV v30 VVinto thehori- Zonta'l'track portion 32. f f

far "the, functioning of the switch mech,- 'anis'm' to enablefproper vmovement of 'the 'guide rollefrsinto-the horizontal trackp'ortionjs 'has'fbeen described. 'f-I't' will now be assumedthatthegdoor sections are tofbe'shiftedjfrom their, o pen over; headposition toward Vtheir closedk vertical p'osition.l With the-shiftable `switch member 4I) occupying the `Yposition showninFig. 6, thelowrf' most rollers 2:6. jand'thje intermediate urollers .Z2

upper dotted-line positionas illustrated in'Figf. 2j.

By' lthisarrangement free pivoting of the "switch tofthe'curved'track portion 3U. ..1mme,diatelr-'Oljlowinsthe entrance ofthe uppermost 'intera rnediate'ro'llers 22 into the curved track portion U, an' abutment 14 carried by the uppermost door section 'I2 is brought into engagement with a depending finger portion 'I6 of the plate 6'2, as clearl'yillustrated in Fig. 5. Engagement of the abutment 12 with the finger 76 causes the plate 62 to be pivoted about the pin S6 and the plate is rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5. This causes the instantaneous shifting of the arm, or nger, 'lil away from the underside of the arm 68 permitting the sudden downward shifting of the switch member 40 to the position illustrated in Fig. Ll.l Thus as the upper rollers 24 approach the switch mechanism, the switch member 40 is positioned so as to direct said rollers lfrom the horizontal track portion 32 into the forwardly extending or auxiliary track portion 36. f

Attention is directed tothe movement of the plate 62 when the nger portion thereof is engaged by the abutment 'I4 as the door sections shift upwardly from closed to open position. By the time the abutment 14 has moved upwardly into engagement with the finger '16, the shiftable switch member 4i! will have been shifted upwardly and latched in position as previously described. The engagement of the abutment or projection 'M with the nger 16 causes the plate 66 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 5, about the fulcrurn point established by the engagement of the arm or finger l' with the fixed abutment 72, as shown in Fig. 7. The arcuate slot E4 in the plate permits this limited, free movement of the plate S2. This free tilting, or shifting, of the plate merely serves to enable the abutment 14 to pass upwardly without tripping the latch mechanism. In other words, as the abutment 14 moves upwardly and engages the nger '16 of the plate 62, said ngerserves as a paw] which permits passage of the abutment without disturbing the latched position of the shiftable switch member d. As the finger 16 automatically moves 'downwardly after the passage of the abutment 14 it occupies a position in the path of said abutment during the subsequent'closing of the door sections. During this closing movement the abutment 14 engages the finger 18 as previously described, thereby causing instantaneous unlatching of the switch member. The downward shifting of the plate 62 is assured by employing a coiled spring 'I8 which is interposed between the plate `62 and the track coupling plate member 58. It will be understood, however, that both the downward shifting of the plate 62 and the downward shifting of the switch member 40 takes placeunder the action of gravity, the coil springs 52 and I8 being used in instances where it is deemed essential to assure instantaneous action. It will also be noted that the point of fulcrum between the finger, or arm, 'l0 and the abutment 'I2 provides a bearing which is free from the accumulation of rust, foreign matter and the like. By having this point of contact any accumulation of rust or dirt tends to fall downwardly, away from the point of fulcrum and hence free pivoting of the plate E2 about this point is assured at all times.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention contemplates an overhead door construction of improved, practical design. Another difiicult problem which confronts manufacturers of overhead doors is that of reducing to a minimum the number of automatically shiftable parts in order to assure efficient operation over switch mechanism described herein is of extreme-- ly practicalconstruction in that the number of movingparts are few and -the mechanism may bei assembled or disassembled with a minimum amount of effort and skill. The bearings which provide the pivotal points are so constructed as to positively preclude accumulation of rust or other foreign matter. In other words, once the mechanism is installed it need not be lubricated from time to time in order to insure continuous satisfactory operation. Thisis extremely important fora number of reasons. In the rst place the switch `mechanism israther inaccessible for the average garage owner, and secondly the average car operator does not wish to be burdened with continuous upkeep of the overhead door mechamsm. i

, It will also be apparent from the foregoing description that the invention contemplates an overhead door construction requiring minimum headroom for installation. As previously stated, experience hasshownthat the door will operate satisfactorily when the available headroom is not` in excess of two inches. Many of the present day commercial overhead door installations require considerable'more headroom in order to accommodate the upper edge, or margin, of the uppermost door section as itis shifted between the curved track portion and the horizontal track portion. The invention contemplates an overhead door construction in which the switch means includes a shiftable switch member and a shiftable latch member for securing the switch member in one position, saidlatch means beingv controlled as an incident to the movement of the door sections. That is to say, means is provided which is operable upon movement of the door `for shifting the latch member, or means, topermit the shifting of the switch member. 1

While for purposes of disclosure certain specic structural details have been disclosed herein, it will be apparent that other modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

1. An overhead door construction including a door comprising a plurality of hingedly connected door sections for traversing a door opening, track follower members disposed along opposite side margins of the said door sections and positioned intermediate and at the upperV and lower extremities of each side margin of the door, track structures adjacent opposite side margins of the door for accommodating said follower members in directing the door sections between vertical doorclosing position and open overhead position, each track structure including an horizontal portion, a substantially vertical portion, and an intermediate curved portion for accommodating said intermediate track followers, a further track portion extending forwardly from each of said horizontal track portions for accommodating the follower member adjacent the upper extremity of the side margin, switch means for selectively connecting said horizontal track portion with said curved track portion and with the said further track portion, said switch means including a shiftable switch member, shiftable latch means for securing said switch member in one position, and means operable upon movement of the door for shifting said latch means to release said switch member.

' a. n overhead door ccnstruenon including a door' comprising aplu-ia-lity' of hingedly co'nr-iicted` door sections for 'travertir-'1gll a door open-ing, track follower niembers"A dispo"" along opposite' side margins 'of the said doors ations and positionedY ediate the upper and lower extremities of eac side margin of thedor,- a' track follower adaciitthe upper extremity of each side margin ofthe door, Vtrackstructiires" adjacent opposite side Ariiargins of the'door for accommodating! said follower -inembers in directing the door? Sections between vertical door-closing position and open position, eaclil track structure including portion, substantially vertical intermediate curved portion for minodatin'g said intermedi'a-te'track follow'- e i a iurtlierr track portion extending forwardly frein eachv of said horizontal track portions for accommodating the follower member adjacent the pp'er extremity of the side margin, switch means for' selectively connecting" said horizontal track portion with said curved trackportion and with the said further track portion, said switch rii'eansv including ashi-ftable switch member, asl'ii'ft'able abutment for retaining the Switch memberZ in one shifted position, and means operable in response to the movement of the door for shifting said abutment to release th'e switch member.

3; An overhead door construction including a door comprising a plurality of hingedly connected door sections for traversing a door opening, track follower members disposed along opposite side margins of the said door sections and positioned intermediate the upper' and lower extremities of each side margin of the door, a track follower adjacent the upper extremity of each side margin of the door, track structures adjacent opposite side margins ofthe door for accommodating saidfollower members in directing tlfie door sectionsv between vertical door c'losingp'osition and open overhead position, `each track structure including' a horizontal portion, a substantially vertical portion, and an intermediate curved portion ,for accommodating. said intermediate track f ollowers, a further track portion extending forwardl'y fromv each of said' horizontal track'y por-V 'tions for accommodating the follower member adi ans-,eric

tablishes communication between the horizontal track portion and said further track portion, re-

leasable abutment means for preventing movement of said switch member' toward said lasty mentioned position, and means operable as an: incident to the movement of said door for Shiite ing said abutment to release said switch member.

4; An' overhead door construction as' set forth in claim l whereinthe latch means includes a pivotally supported member, the pivotal support for which includes an upper bearing surface of restricted cross=section having an open area im; mediately therebeneath for passage of rust particles' and the like from the contacting surfaces of thebearing structure.- Y f Y 5; An overhead door construction as set fort in claim 1 wherein the latch means includes a member having two pivotal points, one for pivotally supporting the member as it is shifted in one direction and the other pivotal support for said member when it is shifted in the opposite direction.

6. An overhead door construction including a door comprising a plurality of hingedly connected door sections for traversing a door opening, track followerY members disposed along opposite side margins of the said door sections and positioned intermediate the upper and lower extremities of each side margin of the door, a track follower adjacent the upper extremity of each side margin of the door, track structures adjacent opposite side margins of the door for accommodating said follower members in directing the door sections between vertical door closing position and open overhead position, each track structure including a horizontal portion, ,a substantially vertical portion, and an intermediate curved portion for accommodating said intermediate track followers, a further track portion extending forwardly from each of said horizontal track portions for accommodating the follower member adjacent the upper extremity of the side margin, switch means for' selectively connecting said horizontal track portion' with said curved track portion and with the said further track portion, said switch means including. a shiftable switch member, shiftable latch means for securing' said switch member in one position, a pivotal support for said shiftable switch member including an upper bearing surface area of restricted size andan open area therebeneath for passage of rust particles and the like from said bearing'surface.

' ALVINV V. ROWE. 

